Nightmare Demons
by SparkieSchteff
Summary: Howard Moon is always being saved by Vince, this time the tables have turned and Vince is in need of saving instead. Can Howard save him from the demons that have trapped his friend in his own nightmares? WARNING: Bloodthirsty, violent and scary. Rated T
1. The First Threat

**My first full Boosh fic, exciting :) The DrWho crossovers have finished but may return, who knows, not even I do!  
This story is rather dark and grisly, inspired by Darren Shan's the Demonata series, and contains a lot of violence and reference to death and injury.  
The characters in no way are harmed as it is all nightmares and dreams but you have been warned, this is rather a bloodthirsty fic. A darker side to my writing is shining through with this.  
Hopefully you will enjoy it as much as I enjoy writing it. Fingers crossed **

**Disclaimer: All things Boosh belong to Barratt and Fielding**

**

* * *

****The first threat**

He wakes in the night drenched in sweat, the moonlight seeping through a split in his blinds drowning the bedroom in an eerie light. His breathing is faster, alarming, quick and sharp. As soon as he sits up it dawns on him he is in the safety of his room all is calm and quiet once again, his heart beat returns to normal but he can't get rid of the shakes in his hands, the pins and needles in his fingers and the fear in his mind of going back to sleep.

He peels the covers off his hot sweaty body and un-tangles his feet with the sheets letting them rest on the carpeted floor. He sits silently for a while with his head in his hands just thinking and breathing. Trying to push the images of bloodshed from his mind, he sees bodies piled limply surrounded in a pool of sticky blood. He is knelt at the pool with his hands pressed into the mess, covered in other people's blood, the stench drifts towards his nostrils. He inhales deeply and vomits almost instantly in his imagination. Then he snaps back to reality and tells himself it was just a dream and retreats to the kitchen for a drink.

The cold air from the open fridge door cools his hot body a little, his feet are frozen from the icy kitchen tiles but his fingers are sticky and clammy. He reaches for a bottle not caring what's inside and drinks it greedily until it is empty. He slams the door to the fridge and throws the bottle onto the counter not caring if he wakes anyone else up, he'd rather have them yelling at him for waking them at three in the morning than retreat back to his bedroom alone, to be tormented once again by the nightmare he had woken from only minutes before.

But no one comes; they are all heavy sleepers and remain in their beds. He contemplates smashing a plate against the wall to wake them fully but finally decides against it and alone he remains with his thoughts and a few disturbing mental images.

Back in his bedroom he opens a window and slides his blinds up a short way to ensure the draft of night air enters his room swiftly. He flicks on his bedroom light and sets to work on sorting out his bed sheets, which he discards for a fresh one that isn't sopping in sweat.

He works silently with a frown upon his face, his hands still trembling terribly and his throat feeling like sandpaper. The fresh air cools him but makes him feel light headed and dizzy as he straightens up the duvet on his bed, he stumbles back and trips on the cord attached to a hairdryer, he takes another step back to steady himself but stands on a plug, it's metal prong's jab at the sole of his foot making him jump quickly thinking something had impaled him.

He hops on one foot while checking the bottom of his right for any signs of blood, nothing. Just pain, he pushes the hairdryer to the side under his desk and retreats to his bed.

'Nothing can get me.' He thinks to himself 'Not if I stay awake.' He stares at the ceiling while screwing up handfuls of his duvet in each hand, clearly terrified of falling asleep again. He knows he can not stay awake forever but just for tonight he was scared to close his eyes. His nightmare had terrified him to the extremes, he could still hear the screams in his mind, could still see the knife, the stabbing, the cutting, the blood, the gore, the puddle, the bodies, the fearsome creature that had committed the crime approaching him with its knife steady, poised and ready to plunge into his pulsing heart. Ready to kill him.


	2. Trapped in another world

**We're starting to enter the bloodthirsty world of the Nightmare Demons now guys, you have been warned :P Nah I don't think my writing appears scary.**

**Anyway, thank you for the lovely kind reviews! I didn't expect so many, if any, for this fiction! I thought it would have been a little bit too dark, but I was wrong!  
To re-pay your kind comments I've posted the second chapter. Please enjoy! Your reviews are all welcomed once again  
xx**

**

* * *

Trapped in another world**

Half past seven in the morning finally flashes up on his clock; he pulls himself out of bed with a stifled yawn and begins his day. He hadn't slept at all since the nightmare for fear of it recurring or the fear of having an even more terrifying one.

The flat is silent, the others are still sound asleep in their beds, completely unaware of what had happened during the hours of darkness.

* * *

He stumbles to the kitchen counter and grabs the bottle he had emptied a few hours earlier; it was a blue crystal one that curved left and right. An odd shape for a bottle but he dismissed it and dropped it in the bin, the shape of the glass being the least of his worries.

Outside it is still slightly dark, normally he would be in bed till gone one in the afternoon on a Saturday but he dared not venture back to his bed.

* * *

As he sits against the cold couch he feels his skin tingle and burn slightly, his hair is damp and stuck to his neck and forehead irritably. He swipes at his fringe pushing it out of the way but simply fiddles about with it after doing so putting it back into place nervously, he swallows but his throat feels swollen and dry. He feels uncomfortable in the flat and hates the eerie silence, he needs someone to sit with him, he longs for a hug and a cuddle from a friend telling him it will be alright, wanting someone to shush him as he weeps after waking from a nightmare, rocking him back and forth, cradled like a small vulnerable baby. He wishes someone would wrap an arm round his back and let him snuggle his head on his or her chest, wanting them to kiss and stroke his hair allowing him to sleep in the safety of their arms where the nightmares couldn't get to him.

No one comes.

* * *

He has folded his legs up to his chest and let his chin sit on his knees, the shakes are still in his hands making his fingers tremble dramatically when he examines them. The flat feels cold, there is a draft coming from somewhere, cooling down his face and drying the sweat on his forehead leaving his sweat ridden hair curly and rugged.

Finally there is a stir in one of the bedrooms, some soft conversation comes from one of the rooms, quickly he gets up not wanting to talk to anyone yet and heads for the bathroom closing the door with a slight slam.

Leaning against the door he takes a deep breath and turns on the hot tap in the bath. He opens the window a crack to allow the steam to flow freely out of the room then begins to peel off his boxers leaving him naked, the cold morning air makes his skin tingle with goosebumps. He reaches for a dressing gown hanging loosely on the back of the door and protectively wraps it round his shivering body; the soft fabric comforts his aching skin as he sits on the floor with his back against the radiator watching the water flow into the bath tub.

The steam rises from its surface and dances for a while before being carried out the window by a flow of circulating air, when he is satisfied with the level of the water he stops the flow from the tap and let's the dressing gown drop to the floor exposing his flesh. He dips in his foot and winces from the heat of the water but presses on until he is fully submerged in a hot liquid blanket.

* * *

He bathes his hair, soaking it then lathering in some shampoo then rinsing it the best he can in a bath then adds conditioner and waits a few minutes before washing that out too. He dips a flannel into the water and rubs it against his skin until patches of red appear from rubbing too hard. He lets the flannel sink in the water and lies back to relax, a knock comes at the door and he simply tells the person to go away while he bathes. His eyes stay on one spot on the ceiling, he thinks deeply, lets his mind take over, he can't control what he sees, those images once again. He sees a cave, forms drip down from the ceiling of the rocky place, the forms are blood, oozing and drooling down the walls towards the floor threatening to flood the place and drown its occupants, drown him, in a bloody sea of guts. Screams fill the cave, they echo off the walls and ring in his ears. The blood seeps towards him at an alarming rate, the floor is covered, it rises, towards his knees, up to his waist, past his belly button, closing in on his shoulders, he struggles trying to reach for the top, the surface, stay afloat. The blood bubbles near his head and covers his neck, he screams, another scream to add to the collection that already dwells in his mind, the blood reaches his mouth and fills it gagging the scream and cry for help, silencing it, cutting it short in his throat, he coughs trying to clear his mouth but the blood rises faster and faster, it fills his nose and floods his airwaves. He blinks, terrified, alarmed, shocked, frozen with fear, the blood stings his eyes and he sinks. Sub-merged in other victim's blood.

* * *

The bathroom door flies open, someone stops with a sudden jump then screams a help as they dash to the bath tub hoisting the slumped figure out of the water. Gripping at their sodden arms making sure he doesn't slip back down.

He pulls him out quickly, lays him on the floor and pulls the dressing gown over him gently then checks his breathing. It's fine. His heart rate, if a little faster, is normal. He is snoring lightly. His chest rises peacefully. Up and down, up and down.

"What happened to him?" The taller man speaks first as his friend comes rushing into the bathroom with an old book and a bottle.

"He must have drunk this." The much shorter man holds a bottle in his hand, it is made of crystal blue glass that is curved into a waved shape "He's not unconscious, he's sleeping." He states as he flicks through his large book locating a spell. With each turn of the page dust flares up, once undisturbed now furious of being woken, angry and anxious to attack the one that interrupted it.

"What did he drink?"

"A potion. I was keeping it cool for a friend but he must have though it was a beer or something."

"What does it do?" The man asks impatiently while looking helplessly at his slumbering friend. The water drips off his features and soaks the rug; his hair lies in a flat mess covering most of his face, the gown covers most of his body but the skin that is exposed is covered in goosebumps.

"It was a bottle of Nightmare Demons, they feast on the subconscious. They cause nightmares then lap up the fear. He's trapped in his sleep."

"How do we save him?"

"You have to fall asleep."


	3. Nightmare Demons

**Thank you everyone for all the lovely reviews! I've never had so many on a story before, am I doing something right:) XD  
****  
Enough babble from me, let's enter the world of the Nightmare Demons :D  
****

* * *

**

**Nightmare Demons**

He pushes his body to the limits, kicks his legs frantically and flaps his arms about; he breaks the surface and gasps. Eyes wide with horror, his skin crawling with fear, shivering in the murky water. He swims to the side quickly and pulls himself out with whatever strength remains in his body. His arms scream, his legs burn, his heart pounds against his rib cage, his lungs demand more air and his skin begs for warmth.

On all fours he is crawling away from the water, head down with his hair flopped in front, the tips dribbling with water. His palms are sore from the rocky ground, his knees feel grazed and sliced, he stumbles and collapses with exhaustion.

He is alive.

He looks around; a barren wasteland surrounds him. Rocks everywhere, mountains in the distance, the small pool of water the only thing in sight other than cactuses and stones. The sun is high in the sky bearing down on his naked flesh, its plan to burn his skin to blisters until it can not bear no more, until it sizzles and fizzes, until the blisters pop and reform even more painful ones on top.

The man pants, lies flat on his stomach, dust covering his body. He tries to crawl but can hardly move, he rolls over and is blinded by the evil glare of the sun, his eyes feel hot and vulnerable, he shuts them, screws them up tight then flops an arm over them, concealing his vision in complete darkness. The shivers kick in, he is frightened, hungry, thirsty, tired and lost. He wants to cry, let everything out, let tears drip down his cheeks and evaporate before they even hit the rocky floor, he wants to scream in fear and in anger, in confusion and in anxiety. But then he longs to be held, to be comforted and calmed but there is nothing else here with a caring and kind beating heart.

He sleeps.

Eyelids flutter open to a new environment, the pool and desert and rocks have all disappeared, evaporated in the high hot sun. Instead grass replaces them, the glare of the daylight is blocked out by a canopy of trees, he hears running water, a waterfall maybe. Then the low distant growl of an animal, one he doesn't recognise. He sits up, steady, his head aching and his skin burning, he is dressed. He is no longer naked, cold and wet but now feels hot and sticky, as though he could melt any second. The clothes he is wearing resemble rags more than anything, brown rags that remind him of Indians, poorly dressed and shabby Indians. The grass behind him moves, he hears feet padding towards him, he turns, crouches and lifts himself slowly, his body still slightly bent and ready to run. Then he sees it.

The Nightmare Demon. Two large pure black eyes, yellow fangs and a slippery tongue like a snake's. Liquid drips from two front teeth, venom pours from it's mouth, it looks hungry. Its body is fury and patterned like a Python's but the torso looks like it belongs to a panther. Its front feet are hooves and its back feet are lion's paws, it has a lion's tale and the mane of one too.

The creature growls menacingly then sits down unexpectedly and opens its mouth and speaks, its voice is more a hiss than anything.

"Who might you be?" It asks quickly, demanding an answer.

"Vince." He stumbles and stutters over his words and finally pushes out his name, the tremble in his hands is back, he tries to steady them but fumbles with his fingers and finally clasps his hands together. The creature purrs at his unease and fear and shakes its head playfully; it grins strangely and crouches down into the grass looking like it is ready to pounce.

"What's the matter, little man?" It asks in almost a whisper "Scared?" It raises its head and licks at its lips playfully as Vince nods gently in an uncertain way.

"Where am I?" Vince asks quickly, blurting and spitting out the words before contemplating them in his head.

"You're in the land of the Nightmare Demons now, little man. And nothing can save you!" It pounces forward and latches onto his leg, it's teeth sink in, biting at the flesh, chewing greedily, ripping his skin off like chicken on the bone. He screams, his desperate cries for help echo off trees and thunder down the forest making leaves quiver, the creature laughs and gurgles as it swallows chunks of flesh and muscle. Vince tumbles onto his back and pushes away with his arms, the creature stays latched to his leg. The tears stream down the man's face, the pain is too much, he cries for help, for anyone.

No one comes.

The blood, the pain, the savage creature, it all becomes too much. He shakily pulls his arms back and tries again to push away, his limbs quiver and collapse, his eyes shut down, his body stops, the pain stops, the creature disappears.

He sleeps.


	4. Dream Protectors

**Not so much blood spill in this chapter so you're alright x)  
And feel free to complain if it gets a little too bloodthirsty and gory...I can always edit it and tone it down for you all**

**Now enjoy :) xx****

* * *

**

Dream Protectors 

The small Shaman lies his book on a table and flicks back to the page he needs, he runs a finger down the paragraph of hand-written words then retreats to his room for something.

"What's that?" Howard asks as he and Bollo lay Vince on the sofa, the gown still wrapped across his body.

"Another potion, you have to drink it. Someone has to fall asleep, then this spell is casted." He taps the page "You put your hand on Vince's and you'll go straight to the world he's trapped in." He explains it as though it were straight forward, simple and an every day task that most people carried out.

"And what is this potion?"

"It's Dream Protectors juice. The Protectors in this will prevent the Nightmare Demons from getting to you and it gives you the power to summon anything you want."

"How do you mean?"

"If you dream or imagine a sword…A sword will appear in your hands." The Shaman talks with his hands, throwing them up and laying them out, palms facing upwards then slaps them down onto his legs awaiting a response "Bollo, go get some pyjamas for Vince would you?" He asks quickly. The gorilla retreats to the bedroom muttering something about a bad feeling as Naboo uncorks the potion bottle "Drink this." He orders "Then lie down and I'll cast the spell. You have to find Vince and make sure he doesn't fall asleep."

"What if he does?" Howard asks before letting the drink slip down his throat.

"He'll disappear and go into a new nightmare. Then you'll have to find him again. When you do find him you have to find the Silver Lake, dive in together and swim to the bottom."

"Where is the lake?"

"You can't miss it. It's the exit from the Nightmare Realm, it'll bring you straight back to the real world, you'll wake up." Howard nods quickly and tips the bottle to his lips. The potion fills his mouth, it is warm and creamy but tastes sour and foul. It seeps down his throat and fills his stomach; a heated feeling washes over his body and he instantly feels tired. He feels a strange presence in his head, inside his imagination. He feels safe in the hands of the Dream Protectors.

He lies down on the floor in a trance and immediately shuts his eyes, Naboo stands over him while Bollo pulls an old t-shirt over Vince's head and arms, and casts the spell written in his book.

The words fly from his mouth, strange and foreign words that only a Shaman can understand, he puts Howard's hand in Vince's creating a red glow in the centre of their palms. It glows and pulses like a beating heart, he continues to speak strange words, some that rhyme and some that just sound strange. He finishes and releases their hands, they stay clasped together and the glow turns into a mellow purple, which fills the dark room. Naboo steps back and glances at his familiar who is tugging a pair of baggy pyjama bottoms over Vince's feet.

"What now?" The gorilla asks as he pulls up the pants and removes the dressing grown.

"We wait and hope that Howard doesn't mess up."

* * *

He feels comfortable, at peace, in an easy slumber that refreshes his body and relaxes his mind at once, a soft breeze tickles at his face waking him slowly. He opens his eyes and sees a dark grey sky, the area surrounding him is bathed in reds, greys, blacks and greens, there are trees scattered about, they look sinister and terrifying, they look as though they are plotting an evil plan together. A river flows past roughly in the distance, the water crashes against the rocky banks sending white foam and spray all over the dark grass. The wind picks up, he can see creatures galloping, stampeding, dashing away from or rushing towards something. The creatures are strange, different animal heads attached to different animal bodies, they resemble Frankensteins of the animal kingdom, they thunder along ignoring Howard. Most bear large fangs, unfriendly, blood stained teeth that could tear through solid metal if given the chance.

Clouds gather above turning the sky a morbid black, rain thunders down all around, soaking the land and feeding the thirsty plants and trees. The rain doesn't touch his skin, he glances up, there is an invisible force, a barrier, maybe a window or sheet of glass that is protecting his head, to him the rain sounds like it would if he were in his bedroom at the flat, it can't touch him, he feels safer in this desolate place but fears for his friend.

Thoughts reach his head of Vince being terrified and lonely, desperate for the touch of a friendly hand and the embrace of a pair of strong arms. He sets it as his mission to find his friend and hug him, make him feel safe, welcome him into the invisible bubble he himself is encased in and take him home, back to the real world.

Wake him up.

A creature approaches him; he freezes and stays silent, almost holding his breath. He stares at its large flaming red eyes, he feels them burn into his soul and pierce a hole in his beating heart. The creature resembles a spider with a scorpion's tail, the stinger drips with deadly venom, it's eight legs shudder with excitement, the thought of having live prey all to itself to inject with its deadly liquid, encase in a cocoon of sticky webs and devour later. All to itself. It pounces, breaks into a run, eight legs all working together, its tail poised and ready, it nears him, draws closer then crashes into the barrier. It flies backwards with a shriek and lands awkwardly with a snap, one of its legs has broken, green liquid oozes from the snapped leg and dribbles on the floor surrounding the creature. It gets up steadily on its seven remaining legs and dashes once again only to collide with an invisible force, which once again sends it backwards. It doesn't give up, Howard just watches with fear hoping it won't break through. It tries and tries but fails and fails again until the creature knocks itself out. Howard moves on, stepping around the creature and leaves it behind, the thought of its limp body lingering in his mind. He carries on, focuses on his task and searches for his friend.


	5. Child's Play

**Warning: Graphic content in this chapter and character 'death' but just remember it is a nightmare so its not an actual death :)  
Please R&R I need some cheering up after failing my driving test D:**

**Enjoy x**

**

* * *

Child's play**

He stirs, his head thumps and pounds in agony. His leg stinging and cramped from the brutal attack he received from the strange Demon. The surface below his head is soft and bouncy, his vision comes into focus and a light springs up releasing an orange glow about the place.

He is in a large double bed in a child's room; toys lie stacked in piles in the corners, wooden models litter the white shelves above his head and a model plane hangs from the ceiling. He sits up disturbing the rag dolls next to the pillows and stares, the window is open slightly, the pink curtains billowing out in the breeze, he feels uneasy and cautious as he sits up and brings his legs to his chest.

He waits in a painful silence, his breathing is faster and more panicked, he clutches his shins, lets his arms wrap around them protectively then spots it, a movement he has been waiting for. A teddy bear had moved its head, it stares at him burning its button eyes into his own, the toy emits a low growl, Vince's heart stops, skips a few beats, he holds his breath then lets out a shriek as the bear pounces forward landing swiftly on the bed. It claws its way forward toward the terrified young man and attaches itself to his right arm, strange teeth grow from the bears open mouth and sink deep, piercing his perfect skin causing blood to stream from the punctures.

One by one the toys come alive, rag dolls tug at his hair desperate to rip out clumps from his scalp, wooden soldiers drop down from shelves landing on his stomach, they stab at his torso with their small swords, baby dolls attack his legs and feed on the flesh like rabid hungry animals. The window slams shut trapping the curtains, a cupboard door flies open releasing a wave of sticky hot blood, it fills the room slowly, the dolls and toys have Vince pinned down onto the bed, he wriggles and struggles desperate to get free, the blood level rises, it boils like water in a kettle, the heat rises, the steam melts a few of the plastic toys, a dolls face caves in on itself giving it an extra terrifying look.

The blood reaches the bed, it washes over his body like a wave from the sea, stinging and burning his flesh, peeling back his skin, agony, pain, torture. He can't take it, he screams, the toys cover their ears and release him, they melt away and fizz in the blood, Vince shrieks and thrashes about, he throws his arms at the bed, kicks his legs trying to push away the last of the toys, the blood covers his stomach, his scar from his straightners burns away. Skin is welded to his bones, the bed covers stick painfully to the bits of his flesh that is left, he gasps as the blood reaches his heart, it eats away at it, melting it into a liquid. He stops and shuts his eyes, the screaming is silenced, the bedroom is peaceful.

Everything is still. He sleeps.


	6. Jacob

**Ok, haven't updated in about 4days? Which is ages for me tbh haha, so here is the next chapter. Now this one is named after a Living Dead Doll I own named Jacob :) (It also includes the little rebel!)**

**Again there is graphic violence towards the end of the chapter but please bear in mind it's a nightmare so it doesn't actually happen. My warnings may be getting a little boring but I'm just worried about getting reviews in which people yell at me for all the violence and disturbing description. **

**I hope you enjoy this :)**

**

* * *

Jacob **

Howard walks through one nightmare into the next, protected by the Dream Protectors, the Demons lash at him but can not reach his tasty flesh. He walks past them, pushes through large crowds of them until he walks into a forest scenario and all is quiet. Trees line a cobbled path; the sky is bathed in a dark royal blue, the moon lights the way like a round white child's night light. The grass sways in the breeze, the leaves above rustle, a few snap from the safety of their branches and tumble downwards in a spiral until they rest on the floor, they crunch under Howard's boots as he walks.

A distant sound of a wolf echoes through the forest, shadows dance about in the trees and bushes, plants stir, twigs snap, he isn't alone. He spots a figure in the middle of the path in front of him, a dark silhouette sways from side to side gently in a hypnotising way. As he approaches the light of the moon lights up the face of the figure, he studies the face of a child, a small boy of about five years old, maybe younger. He is wearing a red hooded sweatshirt with a strange symbol printed on the front, a pair of scruffy jeans caked in mud covers his legs and a set of dirty sneakers keep his feet clean. The boy's eyes are missing; the sockets are deep and dark with a glow coming from within. His head is tipped to the side slightly, blood dribbles from the corner of his mouth, his hands are purple with green veins outlining a pattern on them, a couple of his fingers are bent in inhuman ways, clearly some are broken. The child's hood is up covering its hair, insects run and scuttle across his face and head down his jacket out of sight. He stares at Howard with his empty sockets and his lips crack into a smile, he holds out his arms and waggles his fingers causing them to crack loudly. Howard winces at the eardrum piercing sound; he stops a few steps away from the hellish child and stares back, knowing he is safe in his bubble.

"What do you want?" He asks calmly in as nice a way as possible.

"Mummy…" The child mumbles, his black rotten teeth show in the moon light making Howard wince and cringe "Daddy…" It mutters again, it licks its lips and wipes away the blood with a green trembling tongue "I want my mummy and daddy…" It begs with a hint of desperation in its little voice, he takes a few steps forward towards Howard then stops and looks up at him as best he can with no eyes. A beetle scuttles across his features and down his top then re-appears on his left wrist crawling in and out of his broken fingers.

"I don't know where your parents are." Howard reasons with the child and even crouches down to his height, the child's head follows his movement with a loud crack from his neck "What's your name?"

"Jacob." He whispers and smiles gently; he lowers his arms a little and lowers his head even more. His smile widens bearing his sharp putrid teeth; more blood dribbles from his lips as he turns away and heads away from Howard up the path. Howard stands quickly and follows the child who breaks into a run, in the distance he sees an old mansion lit up by the moon.

"Ring around the rosy, a pocketful of posies, ashes, ashes, we all fall down!" Jacob sings, his small voice drifts about the forest, weaving in and out of the tree trunks, it surrounds Howard and bounces off his protective shield. Nearby a creature that resembles a lion crossed with an eagle howls in pain clutching at its pointed ears with two heavy paws, blood leaks from its eyes as it crawls to the floor with a howl then lays silently, dead. Many creatures hear the threatening nursery rhyme and fall dead at its words, the mansion draws closer and Jacob disappears inside it, his song can still be heard as clear as when he first sung it. Howard pushes open the door of the mansion letting it creak and howl, he steps inside and notices a glow coming from one of the rooms, suddenly a scream pierces the air and cuts the peace in two, a scream that is distinctive and can only belong to one person.


	7. Deathly Nursery Rhymes

**I actually put the wrong warning on the wrong chapter...This warning:**

**_Again there is graphic violence towards the end of the chapter but please bear in mind it's a nightmare so it doesn't actually happen. My warnings may be getting a little boring but I'm just worried about getting reviews in which people yell at me for all the violence and disturbing description._ **

**Was not meant for the chapter named Jacob but for this chapter, so once again you have been warned XD  
****  
If anyone is interested in the little Hell Child Jacob just message me and I'll send you a link to his photo  
Enjoy xx**

* * *

**Deathly Nursery Rhymes**

"Rock a bye baby on the tree top…" A small voice sings, his voice sweet and hypnotising, Howard sees the child stood with his broken crooked arms in the air swaying them from side to side "When the wind blows…" He directs his hands to the window which opens quickly with a blast of cold night air "The cradle will rock." He sways his hands to and fro once again "When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall." He directs his palms to the wooden floor in a flash, something falls from the ceiling and lays slumped in a heap "And down will come baby." Another object falls and smashes into several pieces on top of the first figure "Cradle and all." The child laughs, it echoes through the house, creatures wail outside clearly in pain from the boy's lullabies. The figure shifts uncomfortably on the floor, it gasps in agony slightly as it pushes a piece of broken wood away from its head "Oranges and Lemons say the Bells of St. Clement's." The boy chants, his nursery rhyme floats through the wooden room and drifts out the window, more cries and howls from animals, the figure on the floor sits up slumped against the wall, it is too dark to see its face, to Howard it looks like a silhouette of another Demon "You owe me five farthings say the Bells of St. Martin's." The boy thrusts his palms forwards and the figure screams in agony clutching at its ears, Howard recognises the voice again and starts to make a dash forward but is thrown back by a simple flick of the hand from the child.

"When will you pay me? Say the Bells of Old Bailey." Jacob tilts his head to the side and grins menacingly, he turns his neck with several loud cracks and creaks in Howard's direction, he lifts his hands up and candles light themselves in the room. He can see the figure perfectly now; his own friend sat with his back against the wall, hands on his ears looking clearly in pain. His face screwed up and his whole body trembling, looking tired and drained "When I grow rich say the Bells of Shoreditch." Jacob's voice cracks a little as he pushes his hands forward once again in Vince's direction, the young man howls in discomfort and massages his ears frantically with his shakey hands "When will that be? Say the Bells of Stepney." More screams, bouncing off the walls, Howard tries but fails to get into the room, being thrown back each time by a simple wave of the hand from Jacob, the little boy takes small steps towards Vince still letting his nursery rhyme ring out "I do not know say the Great Bells of Bow." The child stops and stands completely still, his arms lower to his sides and he straightens his head. The wind howls through the window, whipping the curtains back and forth in a violent rage, Vince drops his shaking hands, they are covered in blood, the red liquid trickles from his ears and stains his neck and the rugged dirty t-shirt he is wearing. He stares at the blood, terrified then glances up at the hell child as it opens its mouth and draws in a breath while once again stopping Howard from coming into the room.

"Here comes a Candle to light you to Bed." He begins and directs his hand to a lit candle, he waves it around Vince and the floor blazes, flames roar up from the old wooden floorboards surrounding the young man in a hot circle "Here comes a Chopper to Chop off your Head." The stairs outside the room creak, the house moans as the wind howls. A door in the room flies open, a crack of thunder and a menacing laugh from Jacob. A tall thin man with a disfigured face enters the room bearing a rusty blood coated chainsaw, he fires the weapon up, the motor roars into life, Vince howls screaming in fear, Howard makes for the door but the young boy stops him effortlessly "Chip chop." Jacob taunts as the chainsaw wielding maniac approaches "Chip chop." The motor grows louder, Vince huddles up against the wall, spreads his arms out trying to get away while wincing in pain from Jacob's song "The last man is dead." The man bears down on the young distressed Vince, he digs his chainsaw in ripping at the flesh and sawing bones in half, muscle flies up in the moving blade splattering the walls in a coat of guts, Howard stares in horror and Jacob merely laughs over the sounds of Vince's tearful screams, his eyes shut slowly and the man steps back, his chainsaw still humming quietly ready to spring at its next prey and tear that to shreds as well. Jacob moves over Vince's sleeping body and whispers another lullaby.

"Now I lay thee down to sleep, pray the Demons your soul to keep. If you die before you wake…Pray the Demons your soul to take." He grins bearing his dirty rotten teeth and gurgles with laughter and pleasure, Vince starts snoring silently then his body is engulfed in flames and disappears; Jacob is gone, as is the man. Howard is left standing in the doorway of a blood soaked room staring at the remains of the blood shed.

He hears a female voice whisper through the house.

"Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. See me safely through the night, and wake me with the morning light."


	8. Hallee

**This is possibly the largest chapter I have ever posted, lucky you lot XD  
Thankyou for all the lovely reviews! I've never had so many before! It makes me grin :)**

**This chapter gets a little weird in my opinion.**

**Now, enjoy xxx**

**

* * *

Hall-ee**

He wakes slowly, his head throbbing again and his body aches all over. His skin is covered in ugly purple scars and smeared blood; he glances down and sees he is wearing pyjamas. He stands; he is in what looks like a Roman arena where Gladiators usually fight except the place is completely deserted. He spins round slowly taking in every detail, he sees a pair of iron black gates at opposite ends, blood has stained the stone floor, his feet are bare and covered in dust. He shivers, the cold breeze is tormenting him throughout his nightmarish journey, suddenly a noise echoes from the left side of the arena. The gate lifts and a cloaked figure is tossed into the ring by an unseen creature. The figure stumbles but trips and falls with a heavy thud to the floor, Vince winces but remains in his place. The figure gets up and approaches casually, its arms resting on its front with a pair of white bony hands linked in the centre, fingers hooked together in a peaceful position. A pair of feet slip out the bottom of the robe it is wearing, they are dressed in sandals, the toes are rather feminine and dainty but still caked in dirt and dust.

"Who are you?" Vince demands "Stay away from me! I've had enough, I just want to go home!" He begs quickly. Clouds above grow together to form one large blackening blanket of threat, the sky swirls slowly into different shapes, blood streaked clouds appear from within the twisting form. The figure stops, Vince can see a face hidden beneath the safety of the hood. He sees two eyes, two old and very tired eyes that are fixed on the floor, a pair of lips that are cracked and worn, they look sore and are bleeding, the person bites quickly at their bottom lip making Vince jump slightly. The figure's neck is pale and white, the rest of its body is hidden behind a white robe and a black cloak, its hair tumbles down over its shoulders and pokes out of the hood, the ends are split and in need of some care and attention. Vince notices the person's hands are also quite feminine, the nails are painted in a shade of lilac nail varnish; the paint is badly chipped at the end. The fingers of the person are covered in many rings of different sizes, some have jewels and rocks the size of Vince's eyes in them, one rock is a beautiful shade of ocean blue.

"What do you want?" Vince tries again, pushing for an answer, wanting some form of conversation with anyone, no one had spoken to him properly since he arrived in the Nightmare world, all they wanted to do was kill him.

In a flash the figure's arms are stretched out, they grip at his face and pull him closer into the hood, he stares into the eyes of the person, a female, her eyes are the colour of rubies, they sparkle and light up the hood with a soft glow. Her hands stroke at his cheeks, her fingertips feel soft and gentle on his skin, a warm wash flows through him quickly and he feels safe and at peace. Her lips bend painfully into a fraction of a smile; her teeth appear and bite at her bottom lip again, disposing of the smile instantly. She runs a hand along his neck and he shuts his eyes, her fingers entwine with his hair, she massages the small of his back with her other hand while stroking at his black locks. A look of peace spreads across his face, she stops, releases him and steps back, he stays with his eyes shut swaying slightly on the spot. The cloaked figure bows her head and presses her hands together as though she were about to say a quick prayer.

'My name is Hall-ee.' She whispers into Vince's head, a private conversation, making sure no other soul or Demon could hear her words 'I am of no threat to you.' She speaks softly in his mind, it soothes his heart and his imagination, the Nightmare Demons dwelling within his body are trapped for a few precious seconds, unable to spin the poor young man off into another bloodthirsty nightmare 'For you to live, I sacrifice myself.'

Both the black gates lift suddenly, sliding upwards with a rusty scraping noise, Vince does not move but Hall-ee flinches, drops her hands and takes a deep breath. Demon beasts rampage and storm towards the two in the centre of the large arena, quickly Hall-ee thrusts her arms forwards at Vince. His eyes snap open and he screams in alarm and panic, threads of purple magic force their way into his body, pushing their way along his veins, from his toes through to his finger tips then flooding his head, his mind, drowning it in magical energy. He rises several feet off the ground away from the threat of the hungry Demons who are still advancing on Hall-ee. She mutters several spells in a foreign language then closes her eyes throwing more magic into Vince's battered and beaten, her magic manages to batter off a couple of Demons as they pounce on her trying to break her spell. She lets out a shriek of pain which echoes round the arena, Demons howl and squeal in agony, some drop onto the floor bashing their heads against the ground desperate for the noise to get out of their minds. Vince continues to howl in discomfort as he feels more magical energy shove its unwelcome way into his body, welding itself to his heart, mind and soul.

Hall-ee starts to weaken, her arms drop causing Vince to drift back down to the floor. The Demons sense this and try to pounce on her, some are jerked back by the magic but it wasn't as powerful as the last few hits, the young man reaches the floor, he drops down to his knees in exhaustion and watches as Hall-ee stares at him, she widens her arms and mutters a final spell before clapping her palms together in a quick sharp motion. A boom echoes from her hands sending Demon's toppling over, they fly back, their head's explode with the pressure sending brains and guts flying about the place, Vince shields himself as best he can from the mess. The screams fill the air then everything goes silent, Hall-ee collapses to the floor and remains still, Vince crawls to the strange woman and pulls back her hood revealing her pale face, her ruby eyes are open but aren't glowing, they change to a dull dead shade of grey. He slowly shuts her eyelids out of respect and thanks her silently in his mind for saving him even though she caused him excruciating pain while doing so.

He stands quietly and heads for the gates; he hears a shuffle behind him and turns uncertainly. He sees a young girl, a very young girl, about three or four years of age standing with her little hands tucked behind her back. Her little pink dress is stained with yellow and green patches, she is wearing black tights and small white ballet shoes. A tiny ribbon sits in her hair tied up into a bow, she smiles warmly at Vince but he doesn't respond back. His face is blank, he knows she is a demon, he can see it in her green cold eyes.

"Do you want to play a game?" She asks innocently but the young man shakes his head in response and heads quickly for the gate "Why not?" She asks appearing in front of him as he turns away from her "Play with me!" She demands with a stamp of her little right foot "I want to play!" She goes into a childish fit, she strops and screams in Vince's face.

"Alright fine!" He yells back, the girl stops immediately and smiles "What do you want to play?"

"Kiss chase!" She grins and giggles madly while swinging her body left and right innocently. Vince sighs and nods his head, the little girl wiggles her finger at him beckoning him down to her height, he crouches and she grabs him by the collars and kisses him on the lips quickly before running off. He feels slightly dizzy but not much different, he shrugs and chases the girl. He catches her and pecks her cheek then runs away from her jumping over the grim remains of Demon bodies. She catches up to him quickly, drags his face to hers and kisses again but longer, he feels dizzy again and light headed but manages to catch her. They carry on, each time the girl gets him he feels weaker and more vulnerable, finally she pounces at his legs and trips him to the ground, she sits on his torso and kisses him fiercely biting at his mouth eating at the skin, she sucks the life from his body, he kicks and fits, trying to get free but she has a tight grip on his mouth. His limbs twitch and he falls asleep, half his cheek ripped away bearing the left side of his gums and teeth, he snores as the girl wipes her mouth and pats his head.

"That was fun!" She gurgles to the sleeping man as she bounces on his stomach; she digs and claws at his face feeding on more of his flesh until he is completely under the trance of slumber.


	9. The Silver Lake

**This is probably the chapter you've all been waiting for, and after this is the very last chapter. So enjoy and thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter :) **

**

* * *

The Silver Lake**

Howard hears distant battles and screams; he hears inhuman shrieks, wails of Demons. He crouches through the grass and peers through the foliage, he sees a clearing, a human figure is thrown across the floor, he rolls across the gravel grazing any exposed skin and comes to a silent stop, the person breathes ruggedly clearly in agony but is still conscious, awake and alive. Remembering what Naboo had told him, Howard quickly imagines a force pushing the Demon off course, as the creature thunders towards the person it suddenly flies up into the air and is flung at a great distance away from the clearing.

He leaves the safety of the bushes and heads towards the shaking figure, he sees his friend, battered and beaten, bleeding from various different places, clutching his left wrist with his right hand, trembling with pure fear and exhaustion, his eye lids heavy but his pupils look more awake than Howard had ever seen them.

"Howard!" Vince cries with almost a desperate tone to his voice and struggles to his feet, he lets himself fall into Howard but is sent backwards and hits the floor again with a painful thud. The taller man thinks deeply for a moment then stretches out his hand to his friend who takes it and steps towards him, the air around Vince shimmers and shudders as he steps into the invisible bubble, into a warm hug, an embrace he had longed to feel. He lets his emotions get the better of him and cries into his friend's chest out of terror who clutches him tightly, whispers to him soothingly and kisses his hair unexpectedly. The younger man sobs uncontrollably and shakes with each draw of breath he takes still gripping his aching wrist protectively.

"It's alright, little man. You're safe in here."

"A Demon called me little man." He bawls and clutches at Howard's shirt with his strained hand "I just wanna go home!" He begs quietly, he calms a little as Howard rubs his hand in a circular motion on Vince's back, the young man goes silent, he looks down to see he has his eyes shut and is breathing softly.

"Vince, wake up, you can't sleep!" He shakes him trying to jerk him back, his eyes snap open, they are red and raw with wet hot tears, his face is bruised, cut and grazed, the salty liquid stings his open wounds but he feels numb to the small sting of a tiny cut compared to the ordeal he has been through "You have to stay awake, we have to get to the Silver Lake." Vince nods but doesn't want to move from the warmth and safety of the strong human arms. He listens to Howard's heart beat for a while, it pulses slowly, at a normal rate, strangely it soothes him, it almost sings to him making him want to drift off into a safer sleep "If you fall asleep you'll disappear from here and end up in front of another Demon! Now come on."

The two press on, when the lake comes into view they cast each other a quick smile and press on at a slightly faster rate until Vince stops and pulls Howard back with him. He points shakily at a Demon, Jacob the young little hell infant is standing in the path, watching them and smiling, singing his nursery rhymes. Vince winces and waits for the crack of pain to leak through his head and bleed out of his ears but nothing comes, he feels fine. Jacob's song sounds slightly muffled, he casts Howard a confused look as they cautiously pass the terrifying tot.

"We're protected by an invisible shield." He explains as they hurry away from the Demon child who looks enraged that his songs aren't harming the humans. They near the lake and break into a run desperate to get home "We have to swim."

"I can't…I'm too tired!" Vince moans but Howard simply grabs his hand and dives into the cold water dragging his friend behind him.

The water is icy and murky, lights glow dimly at the surface of the lake. Howard presses on, pushing his arm and kicking his leg while clutching at Vince who tries equally as hard to swim. Their eyes sting from the water, they blink but it only makes it worse, they keep going, Vince can feel his lungs compressing, begging for a breath of fresh air, he slows down, his limbs stop kicking, he stops trying to swim, he wants to retreat to the top and break the surface for air but Howard grips him closer and pushes on. Suddenly they feel propelled forward, bubbles rush past them, the water grows lighter as they sail upwards, the white light blinds them and Howard finds himself bolt up right on the floor of the flat, awake and panting for precious air.

Naboo and his familiar rush over, he glances at Vince who still appears to be asleep. He springs to his feet in a panic, presses a finger to his friend's neck and waits expecting a rhythm to beat out against his fingers but he feels nothing.

He isn't breathing.


	10. At peace

**Sorry guys for keeping you in a cruel suspense like that :)  
And so this is the end of the nightmarish story, hope you all enjoyed it and I wanna thank every single person who has read and reviewed this! Expect replies to reviews on the last chapter**

**Now enough from me, enjoy ****

* * *

At peace**

He floats peacefully in whiteness; there is nothing around him, just space, white light. He is dressed in white flowing clothing, feeling free and light. He shuts his eyes, he sees nothing, he feels nothing. The pain in his wrist is gone, he listens for a thump but hears none, no pulse, he doesn't breathe in and he doesn't exhale, he doesn't need to.

He must be…

He feels pressure on his chest, then it goes, comes back, goes, comes back. His lips tingle, his chest puffs up and fills with air of its own accord. The process begins again, his body jumps slightly as his chest is pounded at then feels comfortable when his mouth feels warm then the strange feeling fills his throat and lungs once again.

Everything blurs around him, he feels like he is being thrust forwards at a great speed, his mouth opens but nothing comes out, he is panting, he feels the air seep down into his lungs, they fill greedily pumping blood and oxygen round his body to his precious heart. His limbs tingle from pins and needles, he is sitting upright, he hears voices, relieved voices, friendly ones. His eyes open, faces are grinning at him, he pants and gasps for breath, then shuts his mouth and it cracks into a smile which fades as quickly as it comes as tears take charge and attack his dry eyes, they bulge at the corners then leak all over his cheeks dribbling down past his nose and mouth until they gather under his chin and trickle off onto the top he is wearing. He receives hugs, he savours them, nuzzles his head into the crook of his friend's neck, he sobs using his friend as a large tissue and another as a comforting blanket of warmth. He is exhausted but fears sleep so he simply stays in his place, he freezes himself into the chest of Howard Moon and remains there for several minutes until his friend suggests he sleeps.

"No!" He shakes his head furiously, his friend looks hurt. The tears come thick and fast again, the Demons are gone but the memories are still imprinted, he sobs as he is rocked back and forth, rocked into an unwanted sleep.

He wakes in his own room but suddenly drops down onto his bed bouncing back up a little as he hits the mattress, he grips at the pillows as he lands desperate not to float away from his bed. He sits up slowly with a slight tremble in his hands, he heads to his mirror and peers at the ugly grazes covering his skin, he had come back from the Nightmare World with them, Naboo promised to clean them up with a spell or two when he woke.

Vince presses a finger to an area of the graze, it fizzes and burns slightly, he moves his finger and the skin is healed, as perfect as it was before it got shredded by a rocky surface. Amazed, he presses a hand to the whole of the graze, a few burning seconds later and his skin is entirely healed. He works on his throbbing wrist, he rubs a hand over the skin and it cools down then the bone clicks loudly making him shudder. He gasps at what he had achieved; he had healed his own wounds with a wave of his hand. He straightens up and turns to face his bedroom light, he clicks his finger uncertainly and the bulb flickers on emitting a soft glow through the room. He stares wide eyed at the light, burning little shapes into his vision for a few seconds before quickly casting his gaze elsewhere. He focuses on the duvet that is lying on his floor, he rests his hands flat out in front of him and lifts them, the duvet follows his lead and rises into the air, he thrusts his palms at the wall making the duvet slam into his posters then flop limply onto his bed in a heap.

'What is going on?' He thinks to himself as he stares in horror at the palms of his hands, he tries something else. He waves a hand at his wardrobe door and it flies open; he waves his hand back and it shuts. He smiles slightly as he picks up dirty clothes from the floor with a snap of his fingers and drops them magically into the wash bin.

He hears a noise outside his room, feet creak about on the floor boards in the kitchen, he hops into bed and clicks his fingers turning out his light. He pulls the duvet over his shivering and exhausted body and shuts his eyes.

A soft voice sings to him in his head as he dozes peacefully, it soothes his thoughts and makes a power glow within warming his body gently.

"Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. See me safely through the night, and wake me with the morning light."

**The end  
Sleep tight and don't have nightmares...**


End file.
